Goes to Cambridge.
Thought to have written Irish primer for Queen.
He was
educ Clare Hall
(later Clare College), Cambridge,
matric 12 May 1563.
He is thought to be the author of
a short
16th century primer on the Irish language.
It was prepared for
Elizabeth I
at her request.
It was possibly presented to Elizabeth I on the occasion of her visit to the University of Cambridge in 1564.

He was
knighted at Drogheda by the Lord Deputy
Sir Henry Sidney
1565.
He
came under suspicion in July 1574 when he refused
to sign the proclamation against the rebel
Earl of Desmond.
Explanations were demanded and it took until 1575 before he recovered the good opinion of government.

Multiple times a prisoner in Dublin Castle:
In 1576, Delvin led a dispute with the Crown about
taxation.
The complaints were not well received
and in May 1577 he and others were confined in Dublin Castle.
Later released.
He fell under suspicion again.
In Dec 1580 he and his father-in-law the
11th Earl of Kildare
were imprisoned in Dublin Castle
on suspicion of being implicated in the rebellion of
3rd Viscount Baltinglass.
Delvin was
accused of "obstinate affection to Popery".
This time he was held for a long period.
He and and his father-in-law were sent, still prisoners, to London in 1582.
Held in the
Tower of London
while a treason case was considered.
No real evidence could be found.
He was released after 1582, back in Ireland by 1585.
In 1593 he was appointed leader of the forces of Westmeath at the
general hosting at Tara.
During the
Earl of Tyrone's
rebellion, he submitted to Tyrone in 1600.
As a result he was shortly afterwards arrested on suspicion of treason
and confined in Dublin Castle.
He
died a prisoner in
Dublin Castle,
Aug to Oct 1602 (various dates given), age 58 yrs,
bur 5 Oct 1602 in Delvin church, Co.Westmeath.

Clare Hall
(Clare College), Cambridge.
Published 1690.
See full size.
From here.
Original from here.

16th century primer on the Irish language

Thought to be written by Christopher Nugent, 5th Baron Delvin.
Possibly presented to Elizabeth I at Cambridge in 1564
(when Delvin was only age 20).
It is now in the
Benjamin Iveagh Library
at Farmleigh.

Richard Nugent, 1st Earl of Westmeath
built a new family seat in 1639.
This was
Clonyn Castle (or Delvin Castle),
just W of the village of Castletowndelvin or Delvin.
This was burnt in 1649.
It was re-built around 1680 as
Clonyn House or Clonin House, family seat until 19th century.
A plaque with crest of the Nugent family, date 1680,
survives at the ruin of this house.

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